'Reverse Suspensions' don't send students home, but bring parents to school

HUNTINGTON, WV -- Administrators at one middle school in West Virginia have introduced a new disciplinary alternative to traditional suspension that they believe could be more effective in reforming troubled students. They call it "reverse suspension," and it's exactly what it sounds like. Instead of sending the student home, the parent comes to school, spending an entire, eye opening day by their child's side.

Justin Young, a student at Huntington East Middle School told WOWK-TV, he was suspended multiple times last year, but this year, he has not been suspended once since participating in reverse suspension.

Justin says when his mom got home from her day of reverse suspension, they had a family talk.

"She wanted to know if I acted like that when she was not around, I said no because I wanted to be good for you," said Young.

The great thing is, this idea wasn't just good in theory. It's working.

The school's principal says the approach has helped cut student suspensions by two-thirds, and bad behavior incidents by more than half.